Lent Fasting

We fast and abstain to reduce our worldly self-seeking and our enmeshment in the pleasures, distractions, entertainments, and busyness of the world in order to be more open to God.

Fasting  possibilities include

• the classic abstentions: alcohol, chocolate, deserts, one meal a day, snacks, meat, coffee, fast food, cream in coffee. Small daily abstentions will effectively remind you that it is a holy season, but fasting from food in any sense can be an unwise choice for anyone who has struggled in their relationship to food. Tread carefully! 

• reclaim your attention and building relationships: sign off social media, reduce or eliminate streaming video, take email and social media apps off your phone, restrict phone use after or before certain hours. Commit to something positive: time with friends, walks, reading books.

• reclaim your joy from consumerism: fast from online purchasing, or just Amazon.com, or purchasing only essentials.

• spiritual abstention: abstain from hurry, acting in anger to hurt, gossip....

Resources

Abstaining from HURRY: read The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer.

Abstaining from WORK: read The Sabbath as Resistance by Walter Brueggemann.

Abstaining from SCREENS: read The Techwise Family by Andy Crouch.